Cotton-harvester.



PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

I. JEFFERSON. COTTON HARVESTBR. APPLICATION 211.215 MAY 6, 1903.

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UNITE STATES iatented 1\1ovember 24, 1903.

PATENT OFF-ICE.

COTTON-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,190, dated November24, 1903.

V Application filed May 6,1903- Sarial No. 155,908. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC JEFFERSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Langston,v

in the county of Logan and Territory of Oklahoma,have invented newandusefullmprovements in Cotton-Harvesters, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to new and useful im. provements incotton-harvesters; and its object is to provide a machine of simpleconstruction adapted to be drawn over the rows of cotton and havingmeans whereby the cotton-bolls may be gathered and conveyed to areceptacle provided therefor.

A further object is to provide means whereby the gathering mechanism maybe adjusted to plants of different heights.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in thenovel construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,showing the preferred form of my invention, and in which Figure 1 is aplan view of a cotton-harvester constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section therethrough, andFig. 3 is a front elevation.

Referringto the figures by numerals of reference, 1 1 aretraction-wheels, upon the axle 2 of which is secured the rear end of aframe 3, having parallel fingers 4 projecting forward from its frontedge and provided with sharpened ends 5. The side boards 6 of frame 3project longitudinally of the fingers 4t, and their outer ends are inalinement with the ends 5 of the fingers. The forward end of the frame3is supported upon the axle 7 of small traction-wheels 8. Adjacent to anddirectly above the forward ends of frame 3 is journaled a shaft 9,having an apron 10 arranged thereon and extending over a second shaft11, journaled upon the side boards 6 of frame 3, at the rear endthereof. The apron is thus held in an inclined position. Teeth or prongs12 extend from the outer face of the apron for the purpose hereinaftermore fully described. A bracket 13 extends rearwardly from the axle 2,and journaled therein is a rod 14:, which extends transversely of theforward end of a receptacle 15. The rear end of this receptacle isadapted to on, adapted to be engaged by the pawl 20 of a lever 21,fulcrumed upon the standard. A

pulley 22 is journaled in the upper end of the standard,'and extendingover this pulley is a cable 23, one end of which is secured to a sideboard 6 of the frame 3, while the other end is connected to lever 21 ata point between the ends thereof. A bow-shaped arm 24 is secured to eachside of receptacle 15, and to the outer end thereof is secured awhiffietree 25, to which the draft-animals may be secured, and aninclined board 26 extends from the forward end of the bottom ofreceptacle 15 to a pointadjacent to the upper end of the apron 11.

When the machine herein described is drawn forward, motion istransmitted from one of the traction-wheels 1 to the shaft 11 by meansofa gear 27, which is secured to said wheel and meshes with a gear 28,secured to the shaft 11. draw the upper portion of the apron 10 upward.During the forward movement of the machine the cotton-plants will beengaged by thefingers 4, and they will draw the bolls from the stalks,and these bolls will be grasped by the teeth 12 on apron 10 and carriedupward This rotation of shaft 11 willto the inclined board 26, uponwhich they will be deposited. This board will guide them into receptacle15, where they are taken by the operator and placed Within the wagon 16,in rear thereof. By drawing the lovers 21 downward or throwing themupward the frame 3 can be raised or lowered, as desired, so as to bringthe fingers 1 at a desired level in order to accommodate them to plantsof different sizes. The arms 24 are of such length as to bring thewhiftletrees 25 in position between the rows of cotton at the sides ofthe row operated upon by the machine, and as these arms are bow-shapedit will be understood that they will pass over the rows of plantswithout injuring them.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of myinvention; but I do ICO not limit myself thereto, as I am aware thatmodifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the ad vantages thereof, and I therefore reserve theright to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of myinvention.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is- 1. In acotton-harvester, the combination with traction-wheels having a framesupported thereby; of plant-engaging fingers extending from one end ofthe frame, a shaft journaled upon the frame, a conveyerapron mountedupon and adapted to be operated by the shaft, teeth upon the apron,means for transmitting motion from one of the Wheels to the apron, avehicle, a receptacle hinged to the frame and connected to the vehicle,a standard thereon, and an adjusting-cable mounted upon the standard andconnected to the frame, whereby said frame may be adjusted.

2. In a cotton-harvester, the combination with traction-Wheels, and aframe supported thereby; of plant-engaging fingers extending from oneend of the frame, shafts journaled upon the frame, a conveyer-apron uponthe shafts, teeth upon the apron, means for transmitting rotary motionfrom one of the Wheels to the apron, a vehicle, a receptacle hinged tothe frame and connected to the vehicle, 1atorally-extending arms to saidreceptacle, standards upon the receptacle, cables mounted upon thestandards and connected to the frame, and means upon the standards for

